Dry Ice
by PowerOfFail
Summary: We never see any Sirius-Regulus interation in the series, so here are three little chapters about what might have happened between the two brothers. No it's NOT slash, people!
1. Refuse Thy Name

**Disclaimer: Don't. Own. Harry. Potter...or any dry ice. That would be pretty wicked. "For today's biology lab, I used...DRY ICE!"**

eeh anyway, I figure we don't see enough Sirius-Regulus interaction in the series. This was inspired by the song "Star-Cross'd Brothers" by Chaos of the Phoenix. I mean, really, is Sirius that much of a cold-hearted bastard that he wouldn't care that his own bro got killed? Me thinks not. Also, its called "Dry Ice" cause it is cold, but it burns to the touch, and lets off smoke like lies, blah blah blah...symbolism. (ahh thanks to iamthelorax for giving me a reason to call it Dry Ice so the name didn't have to change.

And yes, I was thinking of Romeo and Juliet when I phrased a phrase the way I did. Refusing names and such. And yes, I did intentinally end it on the word black. it's a pun, people!

* * *

"Hey, Lily, do you think…" James Potter (Alias: Prongs, second smartest kid in the year, after me of course.) began to jog and catch up with the fiercest redhead in our year, only to stop completely when she threw him an evil look.

I walked up to my best friend and laughed at his crestfallen expression, "Maybe better luck this year, mate." I quipped.

"Doesn't look like it." Remus Lupin (Alias: Moony), my other best friend and prefect, commented.

"I don't know, it _might_ happen." Peter (Alias: Wormtail), the fourth member of the Marauders and worst student in our year, argued back as he waddled up to stand with us.

I let out my signature bark-like laugh again as James mumbled, "Eh..I hope so."

I was entering my 6th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'd run away from home that summer. Why? Here's why: The Black family, my family, were _all_ purebloods _all_ the way back. They were obsessed with keeping their blood clean of any Muggles or squibs. The whole thing was disgusting, to me. The whole family line was polluted with Slytherin's; you hardly ever saw a Gryffindor, let alone a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. I was an exception, I was a Gryffindor. So, like I said, I ran away from my family this summer and stayed over at Prongs' house where I was welcome. They wouldn't sneer at me just for being placed in a different house than the rest of the family, because I had different ideas than everyone else. Because I was a rebel. I'd say it was a pretty good life, everything was going great, and even as planned I might have dared to think…Until suddenly a familiar voice, not unlike my own, sounded behind me.

"Sirius, brother, wait!"

Scowling, I glanced over my shoulder, but instead of addressing the newcomer I spoke to the Marauders, "It's nothing, just some scum. Let's catch a carriage."

Moony sighed; he didn't like to blow people off, but knew better than to get between me and my brother Regulus. Wormtail just laughed nervously and James sneered openly.

"Sirius, we need to talk! Look at me!" Surprisingly, Regulus reached out with a strong hand and gripped my shoulder. Was this really my kid brother? I shrugged it off. He was panting; he must have run to catch us before we got to the carriages.

"Alright…I'll think about listening." I gave a pause, "No, just kidding, I won't." I tried to turn away again, but Regulus stood firm.

"Mum's furious at you for running away! It's really tearing at her and dad!" He informed me. The clouds that had built up on the train ride from London began the 'pat pat' pattern of falling rain.

"You expect me to believe that? They only kept me around to make _you_, their prized son, look better." I replied with fury. The rain was coming a bit faster.

"That may be…but did you ever spare a thought of me? Your own brother…" Regulus began, but I quickly cut in. I was getting soaked.

"You're the same as the rest of them: obsessed with bloodlines and proper dignity. I'm not coming home, and I'm not having this discussion. Bye, Regulus." I told him coldly, and stepped into the carriage where my friends were patiently waiting (unless you count James threatening me with jinxes I'm sure he made up) to join them.

We'd reached the carriages some time ago, seeing as we walked while we talked. (We weren't so thick we couldn't walk and talk at the same time, honesty!) However, despite our swift walking, we were still caught in the rain. It was coming down pretty hard by now.

"But Sirius!" Regulus tried one last time. I ignored him. Taking my seat next to James, I looked back at my brother only once, then turned to Prongs pretending not to see the broken, maybe desperate look on his face as the carriage pulled away and rain enveloped him in its cold spray.


	2. No Tears to Shed though My Brothers Dead

How long had it been? I wasn't sure. That Halloween seemed so long ago. Hadn't I promised Lily and James that Voldemort would come after me, so that was why they should use Peter?

As that name floated into my thoughts, I felt anger surging inside me. It was Peter's fault Lily and James were dead, why Harry was left alone, why the whole Wizarding World seemed to think that _I_ had betrayed my best friends, that _I_ had sold them to Lord Voldemort in hope for power in return. How could they be so thick?

The whole thing made me want to punch something, or jynx it. But I couldn't, not when the Ministry had taken my wand from me. I just sat there in the chair as I awaited my trial, knowing I would be found guilty. I stared moodily at the wall.

"Sirius Black, you've been scheduled for immediate removal to Azkaban." A ministry official spoke to me. I didn't acknowledge him. I only stood up and waited for them to escort me out. What was the point of fighting back? There was one reason I could resist, one reason I should plead my innocence: my godson, Harry. He was now an orphan, but Hagrid had said that he was to pick up Harry on Dumbledore's orders. If Dumbledore was seeing to his immediate care, then Harry would be fine until the dunderhead's of the Wizarding World could see that I was innocent. Until then, I would have to wait. I didn't have any friend's left that would vouch for me. Remus must think I was the traitor, Peter was in hiding now having faked his death, and James was…he was dead. My own family had turned their backs on me, so I couldn't go to them. The only thing I could do was oblige to the Ministry.

The Ministry officials shoved me out of my holding cell roughly. I didn't say anything. I didn't care anymore. I walked past the other cells, but I didn't try to see who else had been caught. Who really was a Death Eater or who might have been falsely convicted like myself. I didn't want to see any familiar faces…that was when a mocking voice, not to unlike my own, sounded behind me.

"What's this, Sirius Black? Not my Gryffindor of a cousin who swore he would have nothing to do with the Dark Arts? Don't tell me you wised up and joined the Dark Lord!" My least favorite cousin, Bellatrix, sneered. I ignored her. It wasn't worth it, not anymore. There would have been a time I would have fought back, attacked her verbally or maybe physically, but not anymore.

She continued, "Well, Roldolphus, who would have guessed he would have turned his best friends over to the Dark Lord hoping to have them murdered, then killed another himself?" she was goading me, she wanted me to argue back, to defend myself, "If the shock that you came to the right side doesn't kill mummy, the shock of finding out about ickle Reggie's death will!"  
That got my attention, "Regulus is dead, you say?" I asked, stopping and turning around.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I remembered when I turned away from him in 6th year, but… "What did he do, join up with the Death Eaters then back out of a mission?" I scoffed, feeling a bit like my former self.

"Something like that." Bellatrix answered airily.

"Hm… should have known he would get himself into trouble like that some day." I replied.

I felt remorse. I really did. No one would believe it, that I, Sirius Black who had turned away my family and disowned my name, would care that my brother was dead. But... that's the problem, I did care. Only, I couldn't cry. I didn't have any tears to shed. My heart was already broken for the loss of my friends, of the world I knew, that there was no more heart to mourn over Regulus. I don't know if that made me a bad person, it probably does.

"Stop speaking in code, filth!" The head Ministry Official poked me in the back with their wand.

I kept walking. There was nothing I could say to Bellatrix that wouldn't give me away. I tried to shrug it off. Regulus was a Death Eater, so what? He was dead…he got what he deserved!

Eventually, after a long stretch of silence and darkened halls we reached the outside where it was raining heavily, much like that day when I finally officially refused my name and pushed away my brother. Already I could feel the heart-wrenching cold of the dementors, guards of Azkaban, but I paid it no notice. Again and again, the last few days replied in my mind, as well as the night where I said bye to Regulus that was so much like the present.

I refused to feel guilty. He'd gotten himself into that situation, and now he'd paid for it. That was the price of being evil, of being what you're told to be.

I could see the dementors by now. They were to take me to Azkaban. So be it. I would wait, and when Peter dared show his furry rat face again, I would be ready with a plan...ready with a plan of revenge.


	3. He Took My Side

It was cold, really cold. Why was it so cold? It was June...or...was it? The last thing I had been doing was fighting cousin Bellatrix…oh yeah, then I fell through the veil. Oh no. Don't tell me I'd been bested by a veil…I mean…it's not even real material!

"Oh ho ho, you've finally decided to join us!" A familiar voice sounded behind me, or was it above me?

Putting my hands over my closed eyes to block out any possible light that could be seen in this place, where ever 'this place' was, I groaned. My head hurt really badly for some reason.

"Come on, Sirius. Sit up. It's not that bad." Another voice said. This one was kinder, less rough. I knew where I was. There wasn't a doubt.

"Afterlife." I mumbled.

"What was that? I couldn't catch it." The first voice said.

"I said you're a bloody git and need to deflate your head!" I replied, opening my eyes at last.

Standing over me were Lily and James. They looked as well as they did when I last saw them 15 years go.

"Really, you two have only been back together for about a minute and you're already insulting each other." Lily said kneeling down to inspect Sirius.

"Well, whatever, get up, Padfoot." James said, holding out his hand. I took it and he helped me to my feet, Lily rising as I stood.

"So...now that you've finally died..." James began, sounding excited, but Lily cut in.

"Thank you Sirius, for taking care of Harry." She praised me.

"It was nothing." I answered easily.

"I was wondering when you would join us; I need to talk to you, Sirius." I scowled at Regulus' sudden, and rather abrupt, intrusion.

"Can't you see I'm having a conversation?" I asked none too kindly.

"You might want to listen to what he says. Lily and I will leave you too it." James said with a nod to my brother. Why was James taking _his_ side?

He and Lily disappeared to Merlin knows where (y'know...Merlin probably _does_ know where...), and I looked back at Regulus. He looked just like I remember him. There was an awkward silence for a moment and finally he held out his hand as if surveying the grounds at Hogwarts and said, "Would you like to take a walk?"

I glanced around, 'where do you walk in the afterlife?' I wondered, and I was shocked to see the old grounds of Hogwarts around me. "Fine." I grunted.

We began walking, my confident strut next to his unsure shuffling footsteps. My attention was beginning to wonder when he finally said, "Sirius, I wasn't working for...for Voldemort."

Had he just said Voldy's name?

"Uh. Sure you weren't, that's why, you know, you're dead." I said indifferently.

"No, really. You know what horcruxes are?" – I nodded, of course I knew! – "that's how Voldemort's staying immortal, I found out. I tried to get rid of one, but was killed in the process by Infiri." He said forcefully, "I swear by the stars! Sirius, I really did. Alright, I admit it, I joined up at first because I thought it's what Mum and Dad wanted me to do, but I didn't like what he was doing. I wanted to stop it…but I was killed trying!"

"I've heard enough lies in the living world, Regulus! I don't need to hear them here!" I practically screamed at him. I was through with him and his lies. Without looking back, I spun on my heel and stomped away unsure of where I was going, just hoping to run into someone I knew, someone I could trust, soon before I was too lost.

* * *

A year and a half about had gone by since my death. I was still fuming at Regulus, but I'd found that watching the living is a very fun pastime. I was currently sitting with Professor Dumbledore, James, Lily and a kid named Cedric Diggory, watching the Golden Trio. They were talking to Kreacher…who was talking about Regulus.

We sat in shocked silence as we heard his tale. I was the most deeply effected. Not only was I shocked to find out that Regulus had been telling the truth, but I was impressed that he had the guts to stand up to Voldemort like that. I thought he was a scrawny little…Peter Pettigrew in a more handsome form.

I stood up, I couldn't listen to any more, if Kreacher was telling the truth (I'm sure he was) then I had made a Sirius mistake. I mean it when I say Sirius. At Hogwarts when I would make a mistake the Marauder's would joke that it was a 'Sirius' mistake because it was probably something no one else would manage to do. This was a Sirius Mistake.

James looked at me, "Do you finally believe Regulus?" he asked.

"I do. I have to set something straight." And without another word, I tore off in pursuit of my little brother.

I finally found him conversing with my parents. They were ashamed to have found out what he'd done. "How dare you go against him…?" My mother was saying (I was shocked to hear her speaking calmly…maybe she didn't believe her words.)

"Sirius, I suppose you've heard by now. Come to congratulate Regulus on being a…Gryffindor?" My father spat the word _Gryffindor_ like it was something filthy.

I ignored him.

"Reg, listen. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I didn't believe you. I guess we really were on the same side. We always used to be. Like when Bellatrix would pick a fight, you were always on my side. I'm sorry…" I tried to form the right words, but they all seemed so wrong. How do you apologize for this kind of thing?

"Don't worry about it, Sirius. You know what it's like to be mistaken for being on the wrong side, as do I. We're really more alike than you realize, and I get that you have a hard time saying sorry, so that will do. I forgive you." Regulus told me. When had he grown so wise?

"DON'T FORGIVE THE BLOOD TRAITOR!" My mother screamed, all dignity from previous moments lost (ahh...that's the mother I know and hate.)

"I will forgive him, he's my brother. You've always gone on and on about loyalty to blood, and here I shall be loyal to my blood and my blood brother. Our names are in the stars, stars that are meant to have been for something noble. I will be noble, and I will forgive him." Regulus answered defiantly, then turning to me, he said, "I'll handle this now, go back to your friends. Watch Harry, make sure we win." He commanded me with sparkling eyes.

I nodded and smiled. Why did it matter that he forgave me? Why did it matter that he hadn't been on Voldemort's side? I don't know, and to this day, I don't have the answers to those questions and many more. All I know is that I'm glad that my brother and I have managed to make our brotherly relationship a little less Black.


End file.
